The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-12-10
THE COUNTY PRESS ON THE BooDLERs.

1t is gratifying to note the "change Of
heart" exhibited by the Streator Ind. Times,
in relation to the "boodlers' Of this county.
After cooling down and having read the
court proceedings in last Saturdays FREE
TRADER, it arrives at this conclusion: "Messrs.
Raymond and Nash had been under bonds
and indictment long enough, and were en-
titled to trial or release from the charges.
We presume this will be the end of the case"
The Free Press of the same city is particu-
larly severe on the committee, -another
change of heart, by the way. Its editorial
is caustic in the extreme; and, beginning
with the statement that, latter the alleged
boodlers have all been acquitted, and their
official actions INDICATED, Doc Norton and
his little gang can retire into that obscurity
which awaits them" it hauls the committee
over hot Goals in severer manner than any
other paper has yet attempted; and contin
ues:-"Others bowed down by the weight Of
years have begged for trial that they might
be vindicated before the last dread summons
came. The remainder, young men with o
long life of usefulness before them, have pa
tiently waited their trials. Those Of the
cases thus far disposed of only convince the
people that the great hue and cry raised by
the committee was the greatest bugaboo. No
one now believes there is a case against any
of the officers except possibly Bartels, and
it was known he was short long before this
investigation began. The remembrance Of
that committee, and those who goaded them
on in their work, will not be pleasant in the
future. Doc Norton can now sink
back into the insignifcance from which he
temporarily emerged. Had there
been any basis for his multitudinous charges
of fraud and corruption there would be some
excuse but thus far there is no evidence Of
boodlerism, though it has been heralded
about tie world that we we're governed by q
class of thieves"
Everything comes around to him who will
but wait; and the FREE TRADER feels that its
course, also, has been vindicated (along with
Messrs. Raymond and Nash) by the action
Of the Court; for, being the only paper in
the county to dare to question the findings
of criminality alleged by this incompetent
committee, it was by it all its contemporaries,
and more especially those of Streator,
classed with the so-called boodlers-as one
of them an alder and abettor, and all that
sort of thing. One by one the other papers
of the county have come round to our posi-
ton; and doubtless feel much more like
gentlemen than they have for some time
past.
The Ottawa Journa, alone maintains its
allegiance to Norton, selfstyled the Great,
who would, had his father but prophetically
named him Charles, have repeated the feat
of that other Charles, and incorporated the
ndqns in his name. But alas, his name
the maqnuS won't fit; and he can only be the
great sin his mind" In last Sunday s
Journal he relieves himself He differs with
Judge Blanchard on the merits of the case.
OF course he does. But when did Doc Nor
ton become a lawyer? When did he become
anything but narrow minded egotist? And
who that has followed the course Of this man
of the superintendent hirsute appendage
through the spiteful phases of these cases
wiz now stop to give an atoms weight to
anything he has to say,-any more weight
than he would to the protests of child that
has lust been spanked for telling nasty sto-
ries? The Docs sun has set. His wretched
comedy, as the La Sale DEM, Press suggests,
sis ready for the potter's field, with him
self as the only Rourner." The wind
may blow through his unkempt locks, and
his wind may blow through the Supervisors
room, but none will be found in this late
day to give it any more credenee than is
given to the brayings of an ass on sum
mer's day. A chronic "kicker," he has be-
come, as pubic ofhcer, puonc nuisance,
and breeder of bad blood at the cost Of the
good people of this county who have had
him under pay.
Speaking of the Journal, one is reminded
of a little episode in its editors career which
he has not yet related to an admiring con-
stituency hereabouts, probably has not even
mentioned it to his co-reformers Of the COM
mittee, though it would have been partic-
ularly appropriate adornment Of any one Of
their numerous private sceances IN which
they prepared their explosives to destroy
other peoples characters.
The death Of the notorious "Shaas An.
ia ->>b fk{h mi.